1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a continuous processing machine for photographic material, particularly sheet-shaped photographic paper, comprising an input unit for the exposed sheet material, several bath receptacles arranged behind one another for accommodating different treatment baths, circulating devices for the baths and conveying devices for conveying the material through the baths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Processing machines of this type are known and are commercially available in different constructions depending mainly on the output capacity, i.e., the number of copies to be produced per time unit. Processing machines for printing laboratories or professional photo labs, where high productivity is required, are complex and expensive, and the purchasing price and the operating costs are not acceptable for an amateur or a professional photographer who wants to do his or her own processing. The known processing machines, in addition, are usually designed for a specific treatment process so that different machines are required for the processing of material according to different treatment processes. This is contrary to the requirements of an amateur who works with different materials and processes or wants to leave open the possibility of experimenting with new materials or processes.
From DE-A 32 09 262, a processing arrangement is known which has several bath receptacles which with respect to one another have essentially the same structure and can be connected with one another. Conveying rollers are arranged on the inside of each receptacle which, while interacting with corresponding guiding devices, form a circular closed rotational path for the conveyed material, which, in this manner, can repeatedly pass through the bath until it arrives at the receptacle outlet after the operator switches a deflecting element. The arrangement permits the adjustment of the dwell time of the material in each bath corresponding to the processing duration indicated for a respective process. This results in higher flexibility at lower costs as a result of the possibility of adapting the instrument to different treatment processes. It is a disadvantage, however, that the arrangement, because of the discontinuous passage of the material through the successive treatment units, is not suitable for an automatic operation with a continuous input of the material to be treated. The adjustment of the individual treatment periods to a multiple of the circulating time of the material in the closed circulating path, in addition, results in a limitation of the programmability of individual processes. Finally, the dynamic coupling of the conveying rollers of the individual units to a common drive is relatively expensive and makes the disassembling of the apparatus into its individual components and its assembling more difficult so that the advantages of the otherwise flexible construction of the arrangement largely are lost.
It is the object of the invention to provide a processing machine of the initially mentioned type which has high flexibility with respect to the processing of materials according to different treatment processes, by furnishing continuously satisfactory results and which, in addition, distinguishes itself by a simple, space-saving construction and low manufacturing costs.